LONDON: Globally, people’s health is improving and life expectancy is rising, but progress is far from universal with chronic diseases bringing long-term illness and causing seven out of 10 deaths, according to research published on Thursday. The rate of people dying from cardiovascular disease and cancers has also fallen, the study found, although at a slower pace. The study analysed 249 causes of death, 315 diseases and injuries and 79 risk factors in 195 countries and territories between 1990 and 2015. “Development drives, but does not determine health,” he said in a statement as the findings were published in The Lancet medical journal. Among the world’s wealthier regions, North America had the worst healthy life expectancy at birth for both men and women.

Source: New Strait Times October 06, 2016 08:46 UTC